The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-05-31

a Successful Celebration - Addresses by
Judge HowIa and and Oliver L. Morton.

SuCCGSRful
Judge Rowland and Oliver L. Morton.
Special to the INDIANAPOLIS Journal
CoIrrNBIys Nav 3O.-This has been the most
generally observed Memorial day in the history
of Columbus. Despite the rain in the morning,
the city was illed with people. After the decora-
ton of the graves admirable address was de-
livered in the Methodist Church by Judge How
land, of Indianapolis, before large audience.
In the evening a crowded meeting was held in
the courtroom, under the auspices of the
Sons of Veterans. The Keith Post of the g. A.
r. was accorded place of honor, and filled
part of the programme by singing marching
through Georgia" Oliver T. Morton, son of the
war Governor, followed with lengthy discus
sion of the causes of the war, and was enthu-
siastically received. He said
The cause of the late war was slavery. Eng
land, as a justification for her sympathy with
the Confederate States denied that slavery was
the cause ofs the war and attributed it to the
tariff. She pointed to the notification ordinance
Of South Carolina IN 1882 But Andrew Jack
son said at that time that the tariff was but
pretext that it would be the slavery question
next This plea of England was utterly specious,
for at the time of secession in 1861 the United
States had the lowest tariff in it's history-the
tariff of 1857. That hybrid theory of State sover
eighty was not the cause of the war, although
that piece of casuistry potent instrument in
inclining many to cast their lot with the South
ern Confederacy do not propose to discuss the
intrinsic merits of that question tonight. 1t
would take hours to do SO and would be mis-
leading.
Alexander Stephens, the Vice-presdent Of the
Southern Confederacy. published two volumes
devoted entirely that subject. Jefferson
Davis, in order escape the odium of having
.instigated rebellion for the enslavement of
hal AT lis n
bellion that doctrine. But 1t will not do.
That one half of a nation should separate from
the other half. at the expense of a bloody and
desolating war, simply to establish naked and
abstract proposition of CONSTITUTIONS al law IS an
absurdity. The slave power, in the pursuit OF
its ends, was utterly Indifferent to constitutional
trammels, and had there been doctrine of
State sovereignty there would, nevertheless.
have been rebellion, and the South would
have justified its action in the residuary right
of revolution, should they have cared 70 justify
it at all
Slavery destroyed the Roman empire and
came DESTROYING the Republic of America.
The system of slave agriculture covered Italy
with vast landed estates, extinguished the yeo-
many and drove the free laborers from the
country to the cities where, fed on public
largesses, voted by ambitious demagogues they
made despotism the alternative of anarchy and
left Italy without barrier against the flood of
barbara invasion. But the Roman system OF
slavery n humane thing compared with that
which existed in the South within the memory of
living men. No indellible brand of color sepa-
rated the Roman patrician from his slave.
The master and the servant not
distinguishable except by their garments.
The master did not deny to his slave
the hope of emancipation. Again. in the
absence of commerce, the Roman patrician was
compelled to depend upon his own household for
the pecessaries as well as the luAuries or life.
He had, therefore, every motive 30 educate his
slave and TO instruct him in the arts and sciences.
But in the South the slave was doomed to hope
less servtude. The Southern planters exported
only raw materials and imported from the
North, from England and from the continental
countries almost everything that they wore and
used. Fearing servile insurrection and knowing
that the spark OF knowledge will kindle the flame
of liberty il was made a penal offense in the
South to teach a slave to read. To degrade the
negro into swinsh brute indistinguishable
from his cattle other property, was the mis-
taken aim and object of the Southern planter.
OF the moral aspect of slavery, l need not
speak in this community. The slave system. to
use the words of Wendell Phillips, converted the
South into "a vast brSthel." where slave breed
ing became n mercantile profession, and where
half a million of women were logged to shame.
liz took off the from the forehead of an inno-
cent love and set blister there made marriage
false dcers' oaths, and sweet re-
GgIon a rhapsody of words. It tore families
asunder at the auction block, and crowded the
highways with thousands of skulking fugitives
TO whom every man was an enemy. Under
the shadow of the dome of
national Capitol droves of slaves in clanking
chains were driven by the whip to the market.
This system, which. fortified in selfish greed.
listed 70 it's support the lowest instincts of man,
which TRANSPORTED with hate the face of mercy,
and which violated every Christian precept
damning blot the fair name of this Republic
that could be wiped out only with blood. An
outraged humanity cried aloud for freedom,
indication, vengeance. And the Northern peo-
pie heard that cry.
Lastly, il remains for me to treat briefly of
the part which slavery has played in the history
of our country. Although clause denouncing
slavery was stricken from the Declaration of In
dependence at the instance of South Carolina
and Georgia, yet at the time Of the adoption Of
lhe Constitution il expected that slavery
would soon die out of itself. Indeed the Con-
sutution provided for the abolition Of the slave
trade in 1908, and when that year came the
protest of the slave holders of the feeblest.
But about this time something happened The
great rebellion may be traced back to nothing
more nor less than Eli Whitney's invention of
negro with the aid of this machine could
cleanse thousand pounds of cotton in day,
whereas, formerly, without it. he could cleanse
only a few pounds, the price of slaves
mously. and the South had found product
which commanded the markets and the wealth
of the civilized world. special interest was
thus created which called into being that ag-
gressive. INSCRIPTIONS and despotic oligarchy
the slave powerfully a power, such politi cal
element as had never before grasped the govern
ment of any civilized people. The slave-owners
and slave hirers came TO number $50, 000 Their
political principles were summed up in the pres
ervation and extension of slavery. On that
point they unanimous and unyielding,
while their opponents were hopeessly divided
The extent and success of their conspiracy
against the Union is one OF the great anomalies
of the nineteenth century. The most famous Of
the worlds ancient conspiracies. that of Catiline
was insignificant in comparison.
In 1919, in the purchase of Florida, the slave
power began its career of stupendous conquest
which so nearly ended in the creation of gigan-
tic tropical empire. The possession by Spain of
the peninsula of Florida, and the belt of gulf
land which shut out three future States from
the sea, and which menaced the mouth of the
Mississippi, was really hostile to American
trade and national interest But the slave power
desired Florida for widely different reason
Negroes fleeing from the torments of slavery
found refuge among the Spaniards were grant
ed lands, and recognized as free citizens The
Seminole Indians also harbCred the fugitives
with whom they intermarried. Georgia petit
toned Congress to seize Florida. and Congress
in secret session. directed the President to take
suitable action. Georgia alone sent two flibus-
kering armies 10 recover the fugitives, but those
armies were badly worsted. However,
they seized Amelia island, off the Span
ish coast OF Florida. and converted it into depot
for slave-smugglers and pirates. Indeed, the
State of Georgia and General Jackson himself
STAKEHOLDER, seemed more anxious in the war